Merchandise display apparatus



Nov. 27, 1951 M. GLUCKMAN MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS Fi-led Nov. 25, 1946 INVENTOR MAXFIELD GLUCKMAN BY ,Dml ov ma I ATTQQN EYs Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS Maxfield Gluckman, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application November 25, 1946, Serial No. 712,072

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to merchandise display apparatus comprising merchandise containers and supports therefore.

It is an object of this invention to provide display containers for the purpose of displaying merchandise for sale in a compact and orderly manner in such a way that the merchandise will be in view for the customer and at at same time readily accessible to the sales person.

Another object is to provide a container which will be enclosed, thereby keeping the merchan dise clean, by having a cover which will remain in position in the display rack when the tray portion of the container is removed and which thereby will be in position when the tray is replaced in the rack.

Other objects will be aparent after a study of the following description, claim, and drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a display rack and a number of containers arranged therein in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the display rack with the containers; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the cover used for the container.

Referring now more in detail to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a display rack, indicated generally by the numeral ll. Mounted within the display rack H are a number of containers, indicated generally by the numeral 21. The display rack It comprises a base [4 and two supporting arms [5 and I6.

Each side arm support has a number of flanges ii and l 8 positioned periodically along the length of the inner side thereof. Each flange is disposed on its respective side arm support at a point opposite a complementary flange on the other side arm support. In this way, each flange, together with its oppositely disposed flange, forms a pair which constitutes the supporting means for the containers 2|. Thus, each pair is in a horizontal plane. The vertical distance between the flanges along each side arm is equal to the thickness of the container 2|, so that each container rests on one flange I! with the top of the container bearing against the other flange [8 along any one side arm support.

The side arm supports l5 and I6 preferably are elongated rectangular sections running upwardly from each side of the base l4. In the preferred form, each flange I1 and I8 extends transversely across a substantial portion of the width of each arm l5 and 16. With this arrangement, each container 2| may be inserted between the arms [5 and I6 and between flanges l1 and I8, so that the forward edge extends well out beyond the arms 15 and [6. In this way, the support of the container has a cantilever action.

It will be apparent that although each flange I? and [8 has been illustrated as a single piece running transversely across the arms l5 and I6, other forms of support may be used. For instance, instead of a single piece, there may be inserted in each side arm support a number of pegs lying in a single horizontal plane arranged in a line running transversely across the width of the side arm support. Thus, two pegs would satisfactorily provide the cantilever support.

By referring to Fig. 2, it may be seen that the cover 23 for the tray 22, which together form the container 2i, extends a slight amount beyond the edge of the tray on each side thereof. In the illustrated form, cover 23 has sides extending downwardly and overlapping the side portions of the tray 22. The space between the supporting arms l5 and I6 is approximately equal to the width of the cover 23. I have utilized this factor by placing in each side arm support [5 and [6 an additional flange or series of pegs IS in such a position that they extend inwardly toward the side of the tray 22 but short of contact therewith. They are placed at a position between the flanges H and I8 so that the edge of the cover 23 extending beyond the sides of tray 22 rests thereon. Thus, the cover 23 is supported by these additional flanges or pegs 19, as well as the sides of the tray 22.

The cover 23 has at least one end open--that is, although it has downwardly-extending or overlapping sides, as illustrated in Fig. 2, one end of the cover extends laterally over the end of the tray 22 so that there is no overlapping flap at this end. With this arrangement, the tray 22 may be removed from the display rack while the cover 23 remains in position on the rack, resting on flanges or supports I9, and thus while the cover 23 provides protection for the material while the container is in the display rack, it does not interfere with the removal of the contents of the tray 22 for the purpose of examination by a prospective purchaser.

When the tray 22 is removed from the rack, the merchandise is immediately open for inspection. Sales personnel have found this to be of great advantage, being convenient and time-saving in showing the merchandise to the customer. When the container is replaced, the cover 23 is automatically in position, so that the merchandise on display is thoroughly protected.

tray portion 22.

Furthermore, if for any reason the sales person desires to remove the entire container, together with its cover, from the display rack II, he may readily do so since the cover 23 will slide outwardly between its supporting flanges l8 and I9 as quickly and conveniently as does the tray portion 22. Thus, the whole of the container 2! may be removed or either portion thereof, as desired.

The container 2| may be any shape desired. I prefer to use a rectangular form since this is most satisfactory for support between the flanges l1 and I8 of the display rack l l. Sales personnel in stores have found this to be verysatisfactory. Each tray portion 22 and its cover 23 may be made from a transparent sheet of plastic material having sufficient rigidity to be 'selfesustaining when shaped to any desired configuration.

Thus, tray 22 may be made of one pieceby bending upwardly eachedge, forming sides for the tray. Similarly, cover 23 may be formed of one sheet of the same material, with complementary Sides bent downwardly. As -mentioned previously, only three walls of the cover are formed, the fourth or end wall being left open for the aforesaid purposes.

* The rack'may be-made of any suitable material, such as, for instance, wood, plastic, or a light metal. Also, it may be made to support any desired number of containers. The particular form or shape ofrack used may depend on the circumstances under which the merchandise is displayed.

wardly-extending sides, it will be apparent that a single flat sheet may under some circumstances serve satisfactorily as a protective cover for the In this event, the cover'23 will be slightly greater in width than the tray 22. The flanges or pegs l9 will then be positioned somewhat higher on the supporting arm than that illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the underside of the cover willrest on the pegs when the container is in position in the rack. 'Again, the pegs l9 will extend inwardlyonly a shortdistance so as not 4 to contact the sides of tray 22 and thus interfere with its removal.

The container may be divided, if desired, by inserting one or'more transverse or longitudinal strips, making a number of compartments 'of any size desired.

As may be seen in the drawings, along therear or open end of the cover 23, there isan enlarged section or ridge 24. This ridge 24 serves a dual purpose. First, it serves as a buiier abutting against the end of the upper supporting flange [8, thus preventing the container from being pushed on through the rack and falling out the other side. Also, it serves as a handle when removing the entire container 2 I including the tray and the cover. This ridge 24 may be of any de sired shape. While it has been illustrated as extending along the upper edge of the end of the cover, it may also extend outwardly from either side of the rear edge so as to abut against the edge of the supporting arms I5 and Hi.

In copending application, Serial No. 649,028,

.whichJhas-now become Patent No. 2,540,664 of February 6,, 1951,.1 have described and claimed a similar -display rack with similar containers in which there isprovided interlocking features between the cover and the container. The features of the-ab0ve-mentioned application are of great value where the entire container-that is, the tray and cover-is removed eachv time and carried about by the sales personnel.

The above description constitutes the preferred form. It will bev apparent, however, that modifications are possible without departing from the scope of. the invention.

What is claimed is:

A display apparatus comprising .a supporting rack having upwardly extending supporting arms,

:a container supported between said arms, the

container having a length greater than the corresponding and parallel width of said arms and .havinga tray portion and a coverportion in immediate contact and individually supportedby saidrack, said rack carrying spaced containersupporting elements thereon, the spacing being determined by the combined height of the tray and ,cover, said rack also carrying alternately placed cover-supporting elements, the space'between the cover and adjacent tray supporting element being determined by the depth of the cover.

MAXFIELD GLUCKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of thispatent:

UNIT-ED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,454 Nelson Nov. 2, 1926 790,887 Ekstrand May 30, 1905 22373820 Hill Apr,-8, 1941 

